Pipe Dream/Touchstone
Pipe Dream / Touchstone is the eighth episode of Garo: Makai Retsuden. ''It is also the second episode in the series to be divided into two different stories. Masahiro Kuranuki and Mary Matsuyama return, reprising their roles as 'Shiguto' and 'Rekka' respectively for Pipe Dream, while Atom Mizuishi and Show Aikawa reprise their roles as [[Crow|'Crow']] and [[Eiji Busujima|'Eiji Busujima']] from [[Garo: Makai no Hana|''Garo: Makai no Hana]] for Touchstone. Synopsis "Sometimes, a little happiness can come crashing upon you. If possible, you would want that little happiness to turn into great joy. But you probably already know what happens to that happiness most of the time." - Gonza's Introduction. Plot Summary Pipe Dream Shiguto is walking around a neighborhood when he suddenly gets hit in the head with an old broken toy. He then sees a young girl named Sachi, who threw the toy down from her window. Shiguto tries to return it but Sachi says that she doesn't want it anymore. Shiguto then fixes the toy and visits Sachi's house to return it to the kid. He then spends some time with Sachi and her mother while fixing other broken things around their apartment. Shiguto learns that Sachi's father died some time ago and she has a health problem that prevents her from going outside very often. He tries to leave but gets hungry and then offers to stay for dinner, with Sachi eventually warming up to him and seeing him as a father figure. Shiguto spends more time with them over the next few days and seems very happy. While resting in a park, Rekka walks by and chastises him for daydreaming more than usual. Shiguto asks Rekka if she had ever wanted to quit being a Makai Priest and have a normal life with a family. Rekka dismisses Shiguto and she walks off even before he finishes his story. One day, Sachi intentionally breaks one of her toys so that Shiguto could visit and she asks him if they all could go to the beach together. Shiguto promises her that he will take her to the beach, but as he heads out, his Madou Compass detects a Horror on the way. Sachi sees that Shiguto left some of his tools in her room and her mother goes out to return them to him but witnesses Shiguto's battle with a Horror and his trunk transforming into a Gouryu to destroy it. Frightened and confused, she runs home. When Shiguto comes to their apartment the next day, Sachi's mom stands outside and strictly tells Shiguto to keep away from her and her daughter as she considers him dangerous. Shiguto tries to explain, but she stops him midway, not wanting to hear any of it. Sachi tries to go out of the house but is told by her mother that she cannot go to the beach with him. Sachi cries and goes back to her room. Shiguto apologizes for troubling them and gives Sachi's mother the cooler he was carrying filled with beach toys and sunglasses for Sachi. He asks Sachi's mother to please take her daughter to the beach and she accepts the gift. Shiguto sadly walks away and meets up with Rekka. He puts up a front of being happy and enthusiastic about his job to her and denies that he wanted to go to the beach. Rekka asks Shiguto if he is really alright as he walks ahead of her. Shiguto cries a single tear before the two walk off. 'Touchstone' Crow confronts Eiji Busujima in an abandoned building, seemingly given the task of cutting the fallen Knight down. The two engage in a sword-fight, with Eiji noticing Crow's determination grow. He, however, still dismisses his abilities and says how Crow's Madogou, Olva, still babysits him. The two continue their battle and it spills to the rooftop, where Crow clashes his shuriken with Eiji's spirit tags to a standstill. The two Knights summon their respective Makai Armors and they continue their fight, clashing their swords. Giru goads Crow to fly, saying that it won't matter since it can't help beating him. Crow eventually does use his wings but when he tries to do an aerial attack, Giru teleports, sending Crow crashing through the roof and back inside the building. This cancels Crow's transformation and Olva apologizes over the mistake, but Crow assures him that what his former teacher said doesn't affect him. Eiji appears and berates Crow, saying that his determination is still half-hearted and that is the reason why Eyrith was able to possess him. Enraged, Crow attacks Eiji and finally gets the upper hand, but when he is about to deliver a killing blow, he suddenly remembers all their training days and hesitates. Eiji kicks Crow in the stomach and tells him how his kindness makes him naive and weak. Crow dismisses his former master, saying that Eiji's inner darkness and sins can't be forgiven and that he will be the one to end him. Crow attempts to slash Eiji, but Akari arrives and tries to stop Crow. Crow says he's no longer the same student Eiji knew and he attacks Akari, before stabbing Eiji, killing him. Crow and Eiji wake from their trance, revealing that their fight was a shadow duel and that Eiji has since been imprisoned for his crimes. Crow thanks Eiji for helping him face his weakness but Eiji rebukes him, saying that Crow's kindness will still be his double-edged sword. Crow then reveals that he had cut away Eiji's darkness in their shadow duel and wishes that he could eventually come back and fight with him someday. As Crow leaves, Eiji tells the spirit of Akari that his student has become much stronger, with Akari agreeing. Cast *''to be added'' *''to be added'' Notes * Crow's method of cutting away a person's darkness is drastically different from a Darkness Hunter's since he was able to do so without killing his former master. Errors *''to be added'' References